The present invention relates to a connector for connecting a card type device, such as an IC card or a memory card, or a printed board.
In general, for connecting a flat type flexible cable (hereinafter referred to as "FPC") having a plurality of conductive patterns on the surface of an insulating tape to a counterpart connector disposed on a printed board and having a plurality of contacts arranged in parallel, since the FPC is highly flexible, a fitting connection structure with a reinforcer fixed to a connecting end of the FPC is used as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Second (Examined) Patent Publication (JP-B) No. 57-11105 for "a flexible printed board connector device".
On the other hand, many kinds of connectors for connecting contacts of a board to the contacts of the foregoing counterpart connector using the FPC have been developed. For example, about a mechanical drive type, an electric connector device disclosed in Japanese First (Unexamined) Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 3-30273 or a modified high density back plane connector disclosed in Japanese First (Unexamined) Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 3-257775 may be cited and, about a type using a shape memory alloy, a connector with high density and high signal maintainability disclosed in Japanese First (Unexamined) Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 4-501338 may be cited.
In the former case where the fitting connection structure with the reinforcer fixed to the connecting end of the FPC is used for connecting the FPC to the counterpart connector on the printed board, since the FPC is made of a highly flexible material, the repetition of insertion and release may damage the FPC and, if the conductive patterns are damaged, contact failure may be induced. Accordingly, it is not applicable to a case where the high density contact is aimed using a number of the FPC's.
In the latter case, that is, with respect to the connectors for connecting the contacts of the board to the contacts of the counterpart connector on the printed board using the FPC, there are also various problems. For example, in the mechanical drive type connector disclosed in the foregoing Japanese First Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 3-30273 or No. 3-257775, after the respective portions are fitted to each other, a drive member is moved to connect the contacts with each other. Accordingly, the connector body becomes large in size and complicate in structure so that it is difficult to accomplish the size reduction and the high density. Furthermore, if the number of the contacts is large, an increased operation force is required so that the strength of the drive member and the holding members should be enhanced. On the other hand, in the connector disclosed in the foregoing Japanese First Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 4-501338, there is a merit that a mechanism for operation from the exterior is not necessary so that a mechanical structure is reduced in size. However, since the expensive shape memory alloy is used and thus dedicated heating portion and circuit are required for changing the state of the shape memory alloy, the connector becomes expensive with additional functions other than the essential function as the connector. Further, if the change in temperature is large, there is a possibility that operation failure occurs.
Even if the foregoing connectors are modified for card type electronic device connection, the two-step operation is required, other than insertion and release of the board relative to the counterpart connector, for connecting the contacts with each other, and further, they are not applicable to the high density contact.